The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-11


ed, and puzzle to the acumen of those
given to wordy wisdom. 1t must ap-
pear strange to such that the wise men
of Winchester did not know enough to
insert a word which would have saved
their successors, the learned, cultured
and sublime business of creed tinker
ing. But they were only plain, straight
forward men, using language as COM
monty understood in their day, and has
been understood ever since by most be-
levers.
Being little more nearly related in
point of time to these venerable men
than some of their younger critics, 1
would say kind word in their behalf.
The real objection cannot be 80 much
in restore as in to. We all believe as
truly and strongly in restoration as in
salvation; yet we use the latter word
without controversy. To save man
from sin does not make him "holy nor
happy" 1t simply restores him to the
place he occupied before he sinned, and
puts him in way to become "holy and
happy by learning and doing right
eousness. The "whole family of man.
kind restored to the innocence of child
hood, will be as 'holy and happy" as
when saved from sin, from deserved
punishment, or from endless misery.
To save or restore to the favor, love and
obedience of God is the essential work
of divine grace for thereby he becomes
spiritually minded,-a Joint heir with
Jesus to the heavenly inheritance" He
is thus regenerated, born of the spipit;
''old things are passed away and all
things become new; he is passed from
death unto life, and, as new born babe,
he desires the sincere milk of the word
that he may grow thereby" growing
in grace and in the knowledge of the
truth" "Whoever is born of God doth
not commit sin, for his seed remaineth
in him and he can not, because he is
born of God" every one that liv-
eth is born of God and knoweth God"
In this way, being saved or restor-
ed, they become known of all men as
diciples of Jesus, because they love one
another"
Wherein lies the difference between
restoring the whole family of man.
kind to innocence and child-like purity
and humility, such as Jesus took in his
arms and blessed, and gave to his dis
ciples as sample of true greatness, and
saving all men from sin?" Believers in
natural total depravity may not COM
prehend this logic; but it lily becomes
Universalists who reject such orthodoxy
to object to the restoration of erring
mortals back to the state of innocence,
in which they were created that they
may start Alright and pursue the final
path which leads direct to the "final
holiness and happiness Of the whole
human family"
1t has long seemed strange to me
almost irreverent-quitei inconsistent
that good men, and serious and wise
men, claiming to be the direct success
ors of those plain, honest, earnest, de-
vout believers who formulated a pro-
fession of what they believed, should
so far forget the occasion and disregard
the protection set over it, and make it
mean the opposite of what they intend
ed it should mean-a creed or confess
sion of faith for others to believe. Yet
it is not so very strange. 1t is no new
thing that men in their character and
responsibility should start out on broad,
free, liberal principles, and when pros
pered, theorize and sectarianise and
shrink into narrow, selfish, dogmatic
organisms, claiming authority to COM
mand and demand of others as superior
what they refuse for themselves.
remember, when young man, my
father warned me against the" Hartford
Convention Federaiists," who, though
beaten, in the era of good feelings
would twist themselves into places
of power. Visiting him ten years
after, l found him again hot in poll
tics. asked him who his candidates
were. Every one of them were Hart
ford Convention Federalists." If such
things are in politics, is it less COM
mon in religion ? 1t took my father
only ten years to be transmigated. 1t
took over forty to change the ''profes-
sion of belief" into a confession of
faith" and nobody can tell when OF
whyior where it was done. w.s.B.